Ultrasound Adds New Intracardiac Echo Functionality

September 28, 2009 - GE Healthcare and Biosense Webster Inc. announced new versions of the Vivid i and Vivid q cardiovascular ultrasound systems, with support for two new intracardiac echo (ICE) catheters.

The Vivid i systems with version BT10 software now support the Biosense Webster Acunav 8 Fr. ICE catheter. The 8 Fr. catheter has a 33 percent smaller cross sectional area than the AcuNav 10 Fr. catheter, making it well suited for patients that cannot tolerate a larger catheter.

The companies also announced new support of the Vivid i and Vivid q systems with the SoundStar 3D ICE catheters, as well as compatibility for the Vivid i and Vivid q systems with the Biosense Webster CartoXP system with the CartoSound version 9.7 software module. The CARTOSOUND Module and SOUNDSTAR 3D Catheter integrate real-time intracardiac echocardiography (ICE) imaging into the CARTO System environment, enhancing visualization and navigational confidence during complex EP procedures.

Biosense Webster is a pioneer in EP diagnostic catheters and is an innovative provider of advanced diagnostic, therapeutic, and mapping tools. GE and Biosense first announced the intent to create a combined AcuNav catheter/Vivid i system at HRS in 2009 and offered the first unit for sale, with support for the Biosense Webster 10 Fr. ICE catheter, in October 2008.

The small and compact Vivid i systems deliver imaging performance comparable that of today’s high-end console ultrasound systems without crowding the lab. Combined with the exceptional ICE catheter technology performance and navigational versatility of the ACUSON AcuNav 10 and 8 Fr. ultrasound catheter, the system helps cardiologists confidently navigate complex interventional procedures for a wide range of patients.

GE, Siemens and Philips are among the echocardiography vendors that incorporate deep learning algorithms into its echo software to help automatically extract standard imaging views from 3-D ultrasound datasets. This is an example of the Philips Epiq system, which uses the vendor's Anatomical Intelligence software to define the anatomical structures and automatically display standard diagnostic views of the anatomy without human intervention. This can greatly speed workflow and reduce inter-operator variability.